CAR ACCIDENTS
Serving all of virginia from offices in newport news & virginia beach
A Virginia Car Accident Lawyer from any of our offices in Newport News or Virginia Beach, utilize over a century and a half of collective legal experience to help victims and families seek justice for their injuries or losses. Our lawyers represent clients all over Hampton Roads and across Virginia.
Virginia Lawyers Fighting for the Compensation You Deserve
Auto accidents are an everyday occurrence across the country. As a matter of fact, 6.74 million traffic accidents were reported to law enforcement in the United States in 2019, according to the data presented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Over 2.7 million people were injured, and over 36 thousand included fatalities in these car accident cases. Fatalities from car crashes continue to rise every year, with over 44 thousand deaths from vehicle accidents in 2021, a 16-year high and an increase of 10.5% from 2020.
The sheer prevalence of traffic accidents makes them a primary concern at Huffman & Huffman Brothers-in-Law, PLLC. These incidents can also cause debilitating car accident injuries, making it essential for car accident victims to recover truly fair settlements or awards.
To find out what your Virginia car accident claim may be worth and how to move forward, call (757) 599-6050 or contact us online. Your consultation is free, and you pay nothing until we win!
What Should I Do After an Auto Accident?
If you’ve been involved in any type of auto accident in Virginia, there are several steps you can take for your own safety, to obey the law, and to protect your right to fair compensation:
- Stay at the scene (unless you are in need of emergency medical care and are taken from the scene in an ambulance). It is against the law to leave the scene of an auto accident that has caused property damage or personal injury.
- If someone is injured or the car accident is blocking traffic, call 911.
- Exchange information with the other driver or drivers that are involved. The exchange of driver and insurance information is also required by Virginia law, and it will help you file a claim.
- Try to gather as much information as you can. Take pictures with your phone, take notes, and get the contact information of any witnesses at the scene. This can guide and support your claim later on.
- Do not admit fault. Do not apologize or say anything that may be interpreted as an admission of fault. Only a complete investigation will reveal what caused the collision.
- Do not accept a settlement or check without consulting a car accident attorney. The insurance company may offer you a settlement, but it is important that you do not sign anything or accept payment until you have talked to your car accident lawyer. You need to be certain that the settlement is fair and actually covers all losses, injuries, and expenses you are facing.
Common Injuries Suffered in Car Accidents
Our lawyers represent people who have been in all sorts of car accidents and who have suffered all types of serious injuries throughout Newport News and Virginia Beach. In every car accident case, we do all that we can to get the most compensation possible for our client. By recovering the most compensation for you, our lawyers hope to give you the best chance of recovering comfortably without damaging your finances.
Four of the most common injuries suffered in car accidents are:
- Whiplash: When your neck is rocked back and forth rapidly, whiplash can occur as the ligaments, nerves, and tendons in the neck and upper back are stretched and torn. Whiplash can start as a subtle ache, but it can worsen to constant, debilitating pain without treatment. Rear-end collisions are the most likely to cause whiplash in anyone in the front vehicle.
- Back injuries: Back injuries – especially lower back injuries – are also common in rear-end collisions or any crash that causes a driver or passenger to bounce in their seat. Just as with whiplash, a back injury can begin as a dull ache before becoming unbearable. You should always see a doctor if you are in a crash and your back hurts at.
- Broken bones: In violent car accidents, victims can suffer multiple broken bones. Forearm and leg fractures are not uncommon because people tend to brace against the steering wheel and plant their feet just before the moment of impact, which causes their limbs to suffer the brunt of it.
- Head injuries: Even with modern airbags, head injuries are common in car accidents. If you were in a crash that might have caused your head to suffer an impact, then, again, you should see a medical professional as soon as possible. Diagnosing a head injury early can help dramatically reduce the risk of significant and permanent complications.
What is Uninsured/Underinsured Auto Insurance?
Uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) insurance coverage is usually sold as an optional clause to add to a standard auto insurance policy. If you have UM/UIM insurance, then it can provide additional coverage if the person who hit you does not have enough insurance coverage to pay for all of your damages, whether they have no insurance or just a limited policy. To use UM/UIM insurance, you must file against your auto insurance provider, which can complicate matters and pit you against the insurance companies that is supposed to be helping you.
Can You Sue an Automaker for a Crash?
Did you get into a crash that you don’t think was caused by another driver but instead by a defect with your motor vehicle? It is possible that a vehicle defect is what made you lose control of your car and get into an accident. If this can be proven by our Virginia car accident attorneys, then you might be able to file a claim against the car manufacturer for selling a vehicle with an unsafe part.
Suing an automaker can be difficult because they are usually protected by corporate insurance defense teams. Do not go against them alone. Let us go head-to-head with them instead.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Car Accident
Getting into an accident is stressful and emotional, which often clouds our judgment. Once the impact is made, the realization that you have just hit someone or someone hit you sets in and you start to panic. There are a few common mistakes that people make right after an accident and it’s important to be aware so that you don’t fall victim to these same errors.
- Not seeking medical attention. Go see the doctor as soon as possible, don’t underestimate your injuries, and never say you are okay. If there is an ambulance tell the EMS about all of your symptoms and schedule a medical checkup. Not only is this the best advice for your health, but it could also help strengthen your future case.
- Failing to call the police. Always call the police so that they can fully document and report the incident. Doing this can prevent the other driver from making false claims and ensures important details aren’t missed in the post-accident confusion.
- Admitting fault or guilt. Never do this. It is not up to you to determine fault, that will be up to the police report. You do not want to open yourself up to liability when you don’t need to.
- Not gathering evidence. It is always important to gather evidence after the accident. Gather the names and numbers of any witnesses and the names, license plate numbers, addresses, and insurance information of the other individuals involved. Try and take photos of the damages, and the scene of the accident, and take note of road conditions. This evidence will help you defend yourself, protect you from false claims, make the case to your insurance company, and even assist you if you have a case that goes to trial.
Be safe out there on the roads and take into consideration the list above if you ever find yourself the victim of an accident.
Car Accident FAQ
- Is Virginia a no-fault state for car accidents?
Virginia is an “at-fault” state for car accidents, which means you can hold another driver financially liable for your damages if they caused the crash. However, Virginia is also a “pure contributory negligence” state, which means you must be 0% liable for your damages to retain the right to file against someone else for them. Even if you are 1% liable and the other driver is 99% liable for the accident, you will lose the legal ability to demand compensation from them. Working with a car accident attorney is arguably more important in Virginia than in most other states for this reason because a lawyer knows more about how to argue down liability. - Should I hire a Virginia Attorney?
Yes, you should look into hiring a car accident attorney shortly after your crash occurs. Generally, a lawyer will have an easier time finding useful evidence of liability if they can begin working on the case sooner than later. If you do not know if you should have a lawyer working on your case, then you can at least speak with one during a no-cost consultation. Our firm proudly offers free case consultations for inquiring clients, so you can learn more about your options without needing to pay anything upfront. - Can a car owner be sued if someone crashes while driving their car?
Whether or not you can be sued for a crash that someone else caused while driving your car depends on the insurance policies involved and the car’s title. If you have an insurance policy that covers anyone who drives your car, then it should be used to cover damages and you should be, for the most part, protected from a claim filed directly against you. Or if the driver who crashed your car has an insurance policy that covers them in any vehicle, then their policy should be used instead, and you should be safe from any liability.
Recommended Reading:
- Leading Causes of Moto Vehicle Accidents
- Why Car Accidents Increase in Heavy Traffic
- Top 10 Safe Driving Trips
